Events
Join our events
RAeS events deliver expert content, insight and networking across the breadth of technical, engineering and business subjects affecting aerospace professionals.
Our annual calendar of around 20 events of lectures, technical visits, competitions and field trips are designed to support your professional development and industry knowledge.
Christmas Quiz is Back!
15 December 2023, 6:30pm
Aviation Quiz is finally back. After years of preparation, it’s time to flex your muscles and win great prizes.
To meet some new faces and reunite with all aviation geeks, this event will be open to public.
Form a team of FOUR and please send an email to here for registration.
Team name
Team member names
Organisation (workplace/university etc.)
RAeS HKG Branch member numbers, if applicable
Contact details, such as email and mobile
Location: TLA Room 431A. 4/F, Cathay Pacific City, 8 Scenic Rd, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok
Date and Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM, 15 Dec 2023
Entry Fee*: HKD 500 per team and HKD 250 for student teams, which will be collected on the day of event.
*Food and beverage provided.
Priority will be given to current members.
Upon successful registration, notification email will be sent for confirmation.
Space Sustainability, enabling safe, sustainable access to space
10 January 2024, 6:00pm
It is the start of the new year and Aaron Chin from Viaset is launching our 2024 programme.
Each of us are caring about sustainability on Earth more than ever before. Individuals and corporates are trying to reduce CO2, plastic wastes, recycling materials, green energies etc. We failed to see how some of the innovations from decades ago could have long-term effects on all lives on Earth, one good example is the amount of plastic consumption and waste handling.
We are at a critical point of repeating the same failure, in space. Space is a limited and shared natural resource that needs careful stewardship, like other precious natural resources on Earth. Space sustainability depends on understanding and working within the constraints associated with each form of harm associated with misuse of those resources. 58,000 satellites are expected to be in space by 2030, more than 10 times the current number of active satellites. The vast majority of these satellites are or will be in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). We risk saturating the capacity of those orbits within this decade. So how do we make a sustainable space with everyone has access to space for decades?
This lecture will highlight the importance of space sustainability and what the industry is doing to address the problem.
Aaron has over 20 years of experience in the aviation and space industry. He works for Viasat (ex Inmarsat), a global leader in satellite communications, as Senior Technical Sales Manager for the Asia Pacific region. For the past 8 years, Aaron has helped many airlines in the region to offer In-Flight Wi-Fi services to their passengers and improve flight operational efficiency through the use of satellite communications. Aaron has an Engineering degree in Aerospace Avionics and recently graduated from his MBA in 2021.
Venue : Cathay Pacific City, 8 Scenic Road, Hong Kong International Airport
Date : 10 January 2024
Time : 6:00pm
JK Swire Annual Dinner & Lecture
Spirit of Innovation
10 November 2023
It is that time of the year for our most prestigious event and we are pleased to welcome back Phill O’Dell after he broke the electric plan air speed record in Accel. He is our guest speaker at this year’s JK Swire Annual Dinner and Lecture.
Phill O’Dell will talk about his life in aviation, from his time in the military, through to his role as Chief Test Pilot and then Director of Flight Operations for the engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. He’ll focus on the ’Spirit of Innovation’, the all-electric aircraft that propelled the joint team from Electroflight and Rolls-Royce to becoming the world record holders for all-electric flight. A fascinating project that helped pioneer electric aviation. Phill will detail the highs, lows and learning from Project ACCEL in a fascinating journey through the technical and human aspects of the challenge.
Phill O'Dell was, until recently, the Chief Test Pilot and latterly the Director of Flight Operations for Rolls-Royce PLC. During his 21 years with the company he flew a wide variety of aircraft varying from the Rolls-Royce Mk XIX Spitfire, via the Airbus A380, and the Boeing 787 through to the iconic Vulcan, XH 558.
Before joining Rolls-Royce in 2001, Phill was Officer Commanding the Research and Development Flight of the Fast Jet Test Squadron at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. He joined Rolls-Royce plc in November 2001 having completed 18 years in the Royal Air Force. During his time with the RAF he flew the Buccaneer, was a flying instructor on the Hawk and flew operational sorties with the Jaguar.
Whilst serving with the RAF, he attended the French Test Pilot School at Istres in Provence and flew over 25 aircraft types from the F-14 Tomcat to the Airbus A320.
During his time at Rolls-Royce Phill contributed to a number of major engine development programmes, in particular the Adour Mk 951 upgrade to the Hawk, the Trent 900 for the Airbus A380
and the Trent 1000 for the 787 Dreamliner. He also flew both the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 777 with British Airways between 2002 and 2007 and the A330 with AirTanker more recently.
He flew the company's in-house Boeing 747 'Classic', Flying Test Bed and the Gulfstream G450.
During his last 3 years at Rolls-Royce he was the project pilot for 'Project ACCEL', Rolls-Royce's all-electric aircraft the 'Spirit of Innovation'. This record breaking aircraft successfully became the fastest all-electric aircraft in the World on the 16th November 2021, by reaching a speed of 345.4 mph over 3 km. During its record-breaking runs, the aircraft achieved a maximum speed of 387.4 mph, which makes the 'Spirit of Innovation' the world's fastest all-electric vehicle.
Outside of work Phill is an ambassador for fly2help, a wonderful charity that allows adults and children to experience the freedom and advantages of flight. He is married to Lizzie, and they have 3 grown up children. His hobbies include golf, (very poor) drumming, skiing and walking!
Members have priority for tickets and seating is limited.
Venue : New World Millennium Hotel, Hong Kong Hotel
72 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
Date : 10 November 2023
Time : 7:30pm
Ticket Price : HKD 600 members, HKD 1200 for non members
When your registration is accepted you will receive an email with payment details. These emails will be sent in mid October.